Multiple-part button and the like.



H. L. DAVIS.

MULTIPLE PART BUTTON AND THELIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4.1914.

1.1 98,526. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

HENRY LEWIS DAVIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MULTIPLE-PART BUTTON AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed May 4, 1914. Serial No. 836,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LEWIS DAVIS, of The Turret Button Company Limited, a subject of His Majesty the King of England, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Multiple-Part Buttons and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for the production of a multiple part button or the like of the type which is attachable to a garment or other article by a relative simple motion of translation of the component parts, and which consists in the combination of a pronged component, and a penetrable button component comprising front and back shells of thin sheet metal and a deflector to spread the pronged component into engagement therewith.

By the present invention a practical multiple part button or the like of the type referred to is realized with particularly economic facilities in manufacture, and which is attachable to the receiving object without injury to the easily defaced front shell (a common gage of sheet metal employed in the manufacture of metal buttons being that lmown in the trade as 34 to 36 Birmingham wire gage) hence covering material of the most delicate nature and fancy metal fronts may be employed for the button component.

According to the present invention there is provided for combination with a pronged component of a multiple part button of the foregoing type, a penetrable chambered button component furnished with a deflector which is combined with a bufier like support by which the deflector is positioned and positively held in place and the impact of the pronged component against the deflector is lengthened to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell.

For the exemplar forms to be hereinafter referred to, a preferred form of the pronged component consists of a soft metal disk or ring from which projects, substantially normal to its plane, a series of prongs. Such a pronged member may readily be formed by appropriately pressing a stamped blank having the form of a disk or ring with radiating triangular shaped prongs suitably spaced apart around the disk or ring.

A form of button component found to work well comprises a front shell and a central perforate back shell adapted for interconnection by swaging after the fashion of a typical metal shell button and between such shells is fitted a deflecting member that will come in the path of and splay the prongs of the pronged component when this is inserted into the button or the like component; as a simple and effective deflector a flanged part spherical or conoidal or similar disk of thin sheet metal serves well. For the dual purpose of (a) registering the deflector with the central perforation of the back shell and (b) of realizing a lengthened impact of the component of the multiple part button in the act of interconnecting them to thereby protect the front shell or the front shell and its covering against defacement or injury, the deflector is positionally held at or upon or adjacent to the wall of the back shell perforation by a wad or filling of cardboard or comparable impact cushioning material, or by local backward extension of the deflector formed so as to bring a positional and yielding supporting co-action thereof with the front shell at three or more points at or substantially at the periphery or extreme margin thereof. Such a locally backwardly extended deflector will serve to realize a lengthened impact to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell in manner comparable or similar to the wad protector. In all cases the stored energy reacts to put and maintain a yielding pressure upon the bent pronged members to avoid a loose union of the button components.

The arrangement of the individual elements of the button component should be such that when assembled the deflector is not held tightly in or against the Wall of the perforation in the back shell; this in order to afford that degree of freedom or amount of clearance for entry of the points of the pronged component as will preclude liability of the points turning back from the button component in lieu of turning into engagement therewith. In this connection also it is of importance togive the wall of the perforation a general conoidal slope upwardly as with this provision the button component becomes self acting for finally centering the pronged component in the act of attachment and for directing the pronged component into the perforation so that all its points will properly co-act with the deflector. This provision of a centering and directing rim can be furnished at the same time as the back shell is formed by appropriately modifying the pressing tool to turn the metal at the inside margin of the shell in the desired direction.

The button or the like component may be dually provisioned for optional attachment by a pronged member and by sewing by the expedient of furnishing it with a fabric shank.

Clearance between the back of the button or the like component and the garment or the like to which it is attached may be provided for in diflerent ways. For example the'pronged member may have a stop or stops to limit its penetration and in addition to, or in lieu of this, the rear face of the button or the like component may be given a fuller dished or cupped or similar conformation than ordinarily.

In certain sizes of buttons or the like the diameter of the button component in relation to the length of the prongs will be such that the prongs in spreading laterally will strike the rim of the button and thereafter the back shell and be thereby coiled within the button component. But as the ratio between the diameter of the button and the length of the prongs increases, the coiling effect will become less and less until it ceases entirely. It is however easy to secure a coiling of the prongs for the larger sizes of button components by giving the deflector in known manner a reverse curvature.

For closely woven and delicate materials in particular, it is desirable to employ a disk or layer of a. relative strong material such as canvas, American cloth on the like as a protection between the material and the head of the pronged component.

The invention admits of provision being made for cases where the button components are sold with the front and back shells separate; this being required when the purchasers prefer to complete the buttons with their coverings. In such cases the completion of the button components is materially facilitated by frictionally combining the back shell, the deflector and its support as a unit.

Constructional forms of the invention which work well are illustrated to enlarged scale in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a multiple part button component made according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sec tional elevation of a modified construction of a multiple part button component. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a multiple part button component made according to the construction shown in Fig. l and attached to the garment or the like by a pronged component made as shown by Figs. 6 to 8. Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of a multiple part botton component. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the deflector used in the button component constructed according to Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate various constructions of the pronged component. Fig. 8 is a stamped out blank from which the pronged member is formed by pressing. Fig. 9 is another form of multiple part button component, and Fig. 10 a sectional elevation of the back shell and the deflector and its support as frictionally combined to form a unit part.

a and Z) respectively denote a domed front shell and a co-acting perforate back shell which will commonly be made of sheet metal about 34 to 36 Birmingham wire gage in thickness. The perforation 0 of the back shell Z) is preferably furnished in the stamp ing with a sloping wall (Z to form the aforesaid centering and directing surface of the button component. The companion shells are adapted for interconnection by swaging in the usual manner.

6 denotes a deflector which is illustrated as formed of conoidal shape with a flattened head and a surrounding reversely curved surface j which is depicted as pronounced in Figs. 1 and 3 and slight in Fig. 2. WVhile a reversely curved surface is preferred it is not essential for the purpose of the present invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the deflector e is positioned and positively held in place by a wad g conveniently of cardboard and of such diameter that by pressing the same within the upstanding rim of the back shell I) it is frictionally retained therein. Thus the back shell deflector and wad may be combined together to form a unit part.

2' in Figs. 6 and 7 designates a preferred form of pronged component as pressed from a stamped blank h (Fig. 8) of sheet metal, m in Fig. 7 indicating stops which may be pressed out of the pointed members to cletermine the extent of the penetration of the pronged component by co-acting with the wall of the perforation 0. For promoting the security of attachment of the multiple part button the pronged component may be furnished with a flanged head.'

In lieu of a wad g the deflector 6 may be furnished, as shown in Figs. 4' and 5 with radial arms j adapted to have positional and yielding supporting co-action with the front shell a. at the extreme margin thereof.

Fig. 9 depicts the securing between the deflector and its support and the back shell of a fabric disk which is centrally projected through the perforation 0 to form a canvas shank 7c.

Z indicates the use of a fabric disk or layer .for affording a desirable protection to closely woven and delicate materials.

Having thus described my invention What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Multiple part button of the kind referred to comprising a perforate chambered component furnished with a deflector which is combined with a bufier like support coming between the front shell and the deflector by which the deflector is positioned and positively held in place and the impact of the pronged component against the deflector is lengthened to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell substantially as described.

2. As an element in a multiple part button of the kind referred to, a chambered button component comprising a front shell, a perforate back shell, a deflector between such shells, and a buffer like support coming between the front shell and the deflector by which the deflector is positioned and positively held in place and the impact of a pronged component against the deflector is lengthened to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell substantially as described.

3. A. perforate back shell, a deflector and a buffer like support frictionally combined as a unit part for the purpose specified of a chambered button component of a multiple part button of the kind referred to, said buffer like support being adapted to co-act with a front shell which completes the button component substantially as described.

4. Multiple part button of the kind referred to comprising a perforate chambered component furnished with a deflector with a reversely curved surface which is combined with a buffer like support coming between the front shell and the deflector by which the deflector is positioned and positively held in place and the impact of the pronged component against the deflector is lengthened to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell substantially as described.

5. As an element in a multiple part button of the kind referred to, a chambered button component comprising a front shell, a perforate back shell, a deflector with a reversely curved surface between such shells, and a buffer like support coming between the front shell and the deflector by which the deflector is positioned and positively held in place and the impact of a pronged component against the deflector is lengthened to thereby neutralize the same in relation to the front shell substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY LEWIS DAVIS.

Copies of thin patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G." 

